ICC chief executive Geoff Allardice confirms Pakistan as hosts for Champions Trophy 2025
The ICC’s (International Cricket Council) Chief Executive, Geoff Allardice, recently came forward and confirmed that it is not in their plans to relocate the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025, which is set to be hosted in Pakistan. The marquee event is set to be held in February-March 2025.
To prepare for the competition, the PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board) has even started some construction in Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi. The venues are currently being upgraded to international standards to prepare for the games at the Champions Trophy.
However, there have been many speculations about the tournament being relocated outside of Pakistan. This could happen due to the Indian team not travelling to Pakistan for the tournament due to political tensions between both countries and safety issues.
Despite the reports, Geoff Allardice recently came forward and highlighted how no teams so far have expressed concerns about travelling to Pakistan. It is worth noting that Pakistan are the defending champions of the tournament after they defeated India in the final in 2017 under Sarfaraz Ahmed’s leadership.
The upcoming tournament holds special significance for the PCB, as this is the country’s first chance to host an ICC event since co-hosting the 1996 World Cup. However, India’s participation could pose a real threat. Interestingly, India has not played in Pakistan since the 2008 Asia Cup; furthermore, bilateral relations between both countries have been effectively frozen for long.
Recently, the BCCI’s vice president, Rajeev Shukla, came forward and revealed that Team India’s travel to Pakistan will depend on the instructions given to them by the Indian government.
It is worth noting that just like always, the Champions Trophy 2025 will feature India, Australia, New Zealand, England, South Africa, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, which are the top eight teams. The likes of Sri Lanka and the West Indies will not feature in the upcoming edition.
